


Secrets

by Inkworld



Category: Deadpool - All Media Types, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Autistic Peter, Fluff, Identity Porn, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, No Actual Porn Though, Tony Stark Cameo Basically
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-03-06 14:30:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13413261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkworld/pseuds/Inkworld
Summary: There are lots of things Peter doesn't tell anyone. Sometimes people find out anyway. Surprisingly, it tends to go pretty well. Most of the time.Peter Loves Wade. Capitals Required. But it's only because Tony brought it up that Peter can't stop thinking about it, really. Seriously."Don't you ever want to have just one thing that no one else knows about, so no one can ruin it for you?"--Leila Sales, This Song Will Save Your Life





	1. Prelude pt. 1/2

**Author's Note:**

> Tags and characters will be added as I go, but Archive warnings and rating should stay the same~ I'll probably change the title to something... better, I hope XD

There had been a catastrophe large enough to call everyone in New York to action. Luckily, there had only been the one severe casualty.

  
Tony nodded towards where a few drones had carted Deadpool, currently dead, off to the tower to regenerate.“You're in love with him.”

  
Peter frowned, glancing over at Tony in his Iron Man costume, mask up. “And?”

  
“No denial?”

  
Peter didn't think he sounded surprised.  
Peter shook his head slowly. “There’s no point, is there? You’d just get louder and more insistent.” Peter was glad they were the only two on this roof, at least.

  
Tony nodded sagely. “Why don't you do something about it?”

  
Peter pictured flinging himself off the building with great force. He crossed his arms, knowing it made him look defensive, but needing the pressure in the stillness after the fight if they were going to have this conversation. “What could I possibly want to do about it?”

  
“Tell him?!”

  
Peter flinched at Tony's volume.

  
“Sorry, sorry, but really? What could you want to-- tell him, man. He’s clearly enamored with you.”

  
Peter scoffed, rocking back on his heels. “He likes me because I’m nicer to him than everyone else. I laugh at his jokes rather than at him. Of course he’s nice to me. As soon as someone better is nice to him, he’ll start following after them and… dying for them.”

  
“Do you really think that? That someone can be better than you, kid? That's not how people work. You’re a great person. Stop selling yourself short-- he likes you because you're awesome, not because we don't like him.”

  
Peter almost rolled his eyes, thinking again about jumping, “I appreciate what you're trying to do, Tony, I do.” Peter wished his hair was out so that he could tug at it. “I just don't think it's a good idea.”

  
Tony sighed and clapped Peter on the shoulder, gently, but still making Peter startle. “Whatever, kid, but I think you'll regret doing nothing.” And then Iron Man flew off.

  
Peter jumped off the building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's not much yet, but I have pt. 2/2 of the prelude and chapter one as finished as they're going to get XD I'm hoping that posting will encourage me to be less... precious with my writing. "Art is never finished, merely abandoned," right? I think the original quote specified poetry, but I digress.


	2. Prelude pt. 2/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides.  
> \--André Malraux

As far as Peter was concerned, it was rather simple: Wade flirted with everyone. Wade would be overly friendly with anyone that would put up with it--and several who wouldn't, really--and latch on to the slightest bit of kindness. Because Wade was needy.

Peter understood this. In his own way, he was needy, too. He just wasn't as... ebullient as Wade. That was a nice way to put it, at least.

Peter knew that Wade would do just about anything for him-- well, for Spider-Man. Wade didn't know Peter's real name, yet, but Wade had died for him several times, now, and that was more important than names and faces to Peter, even if Wade couldn't permanently die. (Or, well, that's what Peter tells himself in order to feel better about the person that knows him best not even knowing his name).

The point was, if Wade found out that Peter wanted more from their relationship, Peter didn't trust that Wade wouldn't just try to give it to him. Sex and intimacy were things that meant different things to different people, and judging by the way Wade talks (and the things he offers, _god_ ) they don't mean the same things to Wade that they do to Peter.

Peter knows it's generally considered naive to put so much value on sex, but touch has always been such a difficult thing to deal with that the idea of casual sex had never appealed to him, and the idea of sex with someone who doesn't feel the same way he does was even worse.

Not that he thinks Wade wouldn't be a gentle lover if he knew that's what Peter needed, just that Peter couldn't bring himself to have sex with someone he didn't care for a great deal and couldn't stand to have sex with someone he liked more than they liked him, no matter how accommodating he knew they would be.

Probably why he'd had sex with exactly one person in his twenty four years of life.

But that wasn't what was bothering him.

Peter could deal with Wade flirting with almost everyone, including Spider-Man. Peter could deal with not sleeping with him (not having sex had never been as big a deal for him as it seemed to be for others, but others seemed to have their own insensitivities, so to each their own). Peter could even deal with becoming what was apparently Wade's best friend. Enjoy that, even.

What Peter could not deal with was Wade flirting with _Peter_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actual Wade and Peter interaction in the next (first real) chapter~


	3. Fetching Oranges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Universe doesn't like secrets. It conspires to reveal the truth, to lead you to it.  
> \--Lisa Unger, Beautiful Lies (Ridley Jones, #1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wade meets Peter. Does it count as a meet-cute if one party has already met the other?

Peter knew, from observances as Spider-Man, that Wade lived close to him. Like, uncomfortably close. But there were plenty of people that lived in Peter's actual building that he would never meet. New York was such a big place and Peter was so sure that he would never run into the mercenary that he hadn't thought of it since a few anxiety riddled days after he found out seven months ago.

The fact that Wade, in full Deadpool regalia, was suddenly standing behind Peter (as _Peter_ , like no mask, old sneakers, and all) at the Supermarket, in part because Peter’s Spidey-senses had stopped registering the large man as a threat ages ago and in part because Peter had gotten stuck trying to decide on which oranges to select, was almost too much for Peter's poor heart.

Spider-Man would have been embarrassed to admit that his knees almost gave out when someone spoke from close (too close) behind him, but Peter was rather used to his increased startle response, and turned a moment later, not having registered the words or who they belonged to until he was nose to chest with synthetic red leather (more breathable, Wade had said).

"Hey, Pretty Boy, 's that orange telling you the meaning of life or somethin'?" Wade--Deadpool had said.

After another beat, Peter managed, "Pretty Boy," uncertain if it was an actual question or affronted echolalia, and he just wished he hadn't said it when Wade--Deadpool (Peter didn't think he had a reason to know Wade's name, as himself, even if every super Wade had ever met had been told his full name) chuckled at him.

"Yeah, Pretty Boy, cause you're gorgeous."

"I'm not a boy," Peter said to Wades chest, leaning back into the oranges a bit, thinking about the fact that he was only seven years younger than Wade, but--

"I'm sorry, Pretty Person, then. And with the added bonus of alliteration! Or Pretty Girl? I really shouldn't assume these--"

"Deadpool," Peter laughed, but bit his lip. Most people didn't recognize others primarily based on voice, he knew, but he still spoke quietly knowing the assured tone he had as Spider-Man would make his normal more timid voice less recognizable, "That’s not what I--How ab-bout just Peter, yeah?"

"They know who I am!" Wade squealed, making Peter flinch, dropping his orange and nearly covering his ears.

Wade hopped back, finally seeming to get a clue, looking sheepish despite the mask. "Sorry, sorry," he said in a calmer tone. "It's jus’ most people think I'm a knock offa Spider-Man."

Peter straightened up, and tugged on the hem of his shirt, watching the orange wobble away under the edge of the next table. "Well, I-I've _met_ Spider-Man, so I wasn't going to make that mistake."

"So have I! He's super cool." Wade looked like he wanted to jump up and down, maybe squeal again, but was holding back for Peter's sake

Peter flushed and shrugged, the flirting catching up to him along with the fact that Wade could see his _face_ and thought that Peter was _pretty_. He also told strangers that Spider-Man was cool. "I guess. I mean, super heroes are just people like everyone else, at the end of the day.” Peter finally moved to pick up the orange. “Just... more abled in some ways. I'm sure Spider-Man is off in a supermarket fetching oranges, too. Sometimes, at least."

Peter moved back to the oranges, unstuck now and just grabbing three to go with the one he'd dropped.

"Most people get starstruck ‘round superheroes, gorgeous."

Peter flushed again, placing the oranges, now in a bag, into his cart. "I don't know why," Peter said, not looking at Wade, "like I said, you're just people." He grabbed another orange and tossed it in Wade's general direction.

Wade caught it, of course.

"In a supermarket, fetching oranges," Peter finished.

Wade chuckled again, but it didn't feel as sharp to Peter.

"Most people wouldn't call me a superhero, sweet thing."

Peter bit his lip, grabbing his cart and beginning to move away from the produce section. He missed his mask, if only so it wouldn't be so obvious that he was blushing. "Do you save people?"

"Sometimes, but I'm not as gentle ‘bout it as I could be."

Peter shrugged again. "Are you cruel? Do you hurt people just because you enjoy it?"

"No!" Wade followed Peter into the next aisle, "I only hurt people that hurt others first."

Peter nodded, forgetting what he was trying to say as he looked for the sugar. This conversation and getting stuck on oranges meant he would be later than planned to Aunt May's. He'd planned for getting stuck at least once, but no one can plan for Deadpool. "Aha!" Peter said to himself as he grabbed the right brand. "Oh," he turned back to Wade, "and I know you have powers, so," he began counting off on his fingers, "you save people--you might hurt bad guys more than some think necessary, but you save innocent people. Therefore," he tapped Wade's pectoral, "superhero."

"Antihero, maybe..." Wade granted.

" _Super_ antihero," Peter corrected.

Wade chuckled again, a soft round sound, and continued to follow Peter around.

  
Peter had gathered nearly everything on his aunt's short list before he realized that he should think this was weird. Spider-Man and Deadpool might be the best of friends but Wade didn't know _Peter_.

"Why are you following me?" Peter asked.

Wade looked sheepish, again. "Well, see, there was this guy watchin’ you, from an aisle over, and I thought, well, I could make a scene, get kicked outa another supermarket, and startle the cutie, all without any real evidence, or I could go flirt with the cutie and use my body as a shield."

Peter knew that Wade was telling the truth because Spider-Man knew Deadpool had a big issue with consent. He also knew that the guy was not a threat, either because he wasn't going to attack him or because Peter was Spider-Man and only things that could actually hurt Spider-Man set off his spidey-senses. Peter hoped it was the former and Wade hadn't let some creep go because he'd rather flirt in a supermarket.

He chose to ignore the flirting comment as best as he could, just like the flirting itself.

"I managed to startle you anyway, o’ course, but that was an accident, and I apologized, and I think you forgave me, so I guess I--"

Peter tapped Wade's bicep this time, "I told you, you were a superhero."

"...You're not surprised that some guy was following you?"

Peter snorted, on accident. "Some guy is following me, now." Also, the way that Peter (when he was just Peter, at least) carried himself screamed "attack me, I'm helpless" and only some of it was put on. Peter was no stranger to being harassed by creeps that seemed to have a radar for little queer autistic kids. Peter was better at defending himself now rather than just running away, at any rate, even if he couldn't seem to shake the helpless look outside of his suit.

"Yeah, but I'm a superhero," Wade said and Peter couldn't help but laugh as they reached the checkout counter.

  
The person at the register was eyeing Wade in a way Peter could only classify as ‘wary.’ "Don't worry," Peter said, straight faced, "He's a superhero."

Wade and Peter both laughed.

"Seriously, though," Wade said, "I would feel much better if you let me walk you home."

"I'm not going home," Peter said on reflex, the truth spilling out before he decided if he wanted to tell Wade the truth or not. He should have said yes and then swung to Aunt May's.

Wade nodded. "Still, let me walk you, please?"

Peter paid the bill and took his bags. "I'm not as helpless as I look," he said.

Wade laughed, at Peter again, Peter thought, but knowing the truth helped it hurt less.

Peter rolled his eyes and moved out of the store. How would people respond to the Merc on the train? He was under no illusions that he would get Wade to leave him alone before the man thought he was safe. Besides, Peter (almost) always enjoyed Wade's company.

Like Peter had thought, Wade was right behind him.

  
Peter hadn't counted on the skipping, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My goal is one to two chapters a month, until this story is complete at some number less than twelve so I don't let myself get carried away. We'll see how that goes :)
> 
> Please review! Constructive criticism or just comments about what you enjoyed are much appreciated.


	4. Minor Subway Shutdowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets have a way of making themselves felt, even before you know there's a secret.  
> \--Jean Ferris, Once Upon a Marigold (Upon a Marigold, #1)

It really had started out innocently. There was a creepy old man leering at a very young ( _Very_ _pretty_ ) man through shelves and around corners. Wade had to do something, but he couldn't hurt the old man for looking. He was trying to be… not good, but better. At least while in New York. Spider-Man wouldn't like Wade hurting people for funny looks.

Bold made the noise of a whip cracking, and Italics nodded sagely despite having no head. Wade couldn't disagree.

Wade had come to the supermarket for a reason, ( ** _Ice Cream_**!) the boxes tried to remind him, but Wade instead marched into the produce department, glaring at the old man over his shoulder.

Wade said something inane and flirty to get the boy’s attention and watched him flounder for a bit before they fell into a surprisingly easy banter. The kid had known who Deadpool was but hadn’t seemed uncomfortable being followed around the store or the rest of the city by him and that was worth Wade forgetting his ice cream any day. Even if Bold disagreed. ( **I'm just saying you could have still gotten the good stuff in the form of ice cream, since you didn't get nun from the pretty person in the supermarket.** )

By the time Wade left Peter's side, Wade had decided one thing: he had to see Peter again. Only a few other people had ever seemed so perfect so quickly and one of them was his ex wife and baby mama who Wade still loves dearly even if marriage wasn't for them.

( _Peter just might be our first ex husband. Since the thing with Spider-Man is going so well._ )

“Shut up,” Wade said, confusing the liquor store clerk as he rang up Wade’s ice cream cone.

( **Yeah, they might last a lifetime.** )

( _Great, then we'll be a widow._ )

“Shut up!” Wade said startling a passerby on his way down the street towards his current apartment. He hadn't moved since he found out that Spider-Man lived near him. He wasn't trying to stalk him or anything, and he wasn't trying to discover his identity, but Wade didn't think that there was anything wrong with staying close.

( _If we ever see him again,_ ) Italics continued as though Wade hadn't spoken.

( **This is an awfully big city, you might just never see him again.** )

( _You don't even know his last name._ )

“But I know where he is right now.”

( _What good will that do you tomorrow?_ )

Wade turned around, heading back to stake out the house he'd watched Peter disappear into. It had only been about thirty minutes. “Why didn't you guys think of that sooner? What good are voices in my head if you don't tell me these things?”

( ** _We're not here to help you,_** ) they said.

( **I, for one, am here to have a good time. Just like the readers,** ) Bold continued.

( _I just like making you miserable._ )

( **Just like writers!** )  
\---------

 

\----------  
Wade had escorted Peter to his Aunt's house, with only a few odd looks on the subway and the walk over. Really, it was just like any other time when Peter and Wade were together, only half of them didn't know that it was perfectly normal. A part of Peter rather enjoyed having a slight upper hand in their interaction, even if it meant a different sort of caution than he was used to with Wade.

Still, upon arriving at Aunt May's house and Deadpool vanishing, Peter basically forgot about it, as typical as the mercenary’s presence was in his day.

Peter did _not_ account for Deadpool reappearing after he hugged his aunt good-bye and she had closed the door, however.

“Were you just going to wait all night if I stayed over?”

“I would have left if all the lights turned off. Don't worry.”

Peter rolled his eyes and continued walking. He already didn't want to have to get home as Peter rather than Spider-Man, the subway is awful, and as much as Peter loved Wade, the man was exhausting when he wanted to be.

After a few minutes, Peter couldn't take the silence, and blurted, “Don't you have somewhere better to be?”

“What could possibly be better than walking a cutie like you home?” Wade didn't miss a beat.

“You can't escort me everywhere.”

“True.” Wade didn't elaborate.

“So…” Peter flailed a bit, running his hands through his hair to keep from flapping.

“So…” Wade said something under his breath that Spider-Man knew meant he was talking to his ‘boxes’, and Peter pretended not to hear.

“Not many people can stand me for as long as you have,” Wade continued, slightly too loud.

Peter folded his arms. Did he know? He totally knew. What gave him away? Peter shook himself. Bounced a bit mid step. “Yeah? Same.”

Wade laughed heartily. “You're funny, kid.”

Peter shrugged. God, he wanted to be swinging right now. This anxiety had to be overstimulation. There was no way Wade knew who he was. No way. “If I asked you to leave me alone, would you?”

There was a pause. “I’d probably still make sure you got home safe, honestly.”

Peter nodded, having guessed the answer. He looked around. “Why, though? No one is following me. Besides you… Right?” Because Peter shouldn't be certain like Spider-Man could be.

Wade laughed again. “Nope. Just me.”

If Peter asked about why he was here again, he didn't imagine that Wade would actually answer, and if he was watching there was no way that Peter could sneak off to become Spider-Man regardless of how far away Wade was watching from. Wade was a _professional_.

Peter ruffled his own hair with both hands and crossed his arms. Walking through the city was easier with Wade at his side as a distraction than alone, at least, but the additional simulation would still make it harder for him to calm down once he was home, and getting there still wouldn't be easy. Maybe he'd go for a swing after, if he wasn't too tired. He didn't like swinging if he didn't feel up to fighting.

“How do you know Spider-Man?”

“What?!”

“You said you'd met Spider-Man. Meetin’ a superhero usually makes for a great story.”

Peter sighed. God, he was too on edge. “He followed me home from a supermarket once. Been bestfriends ever since.”

Wade laughed. “No, that's how you met your bestfriend Deadpool.”

“Can’t I have more than one bestfriend?”

“Of course, but they must have different origin stories!”

“Must they?”

Wade nodded.

Peter laughed. And realized that they were approaching the subway.

“I'm a photographer.”

“Peter Parker?”

“Uh, yeah? How did you--?”

“Every Spider-Man fanboy knows who you are!” Wade almost shouted, drawing attention that his costume hadn't even managed to. He had started walking ahead once Peter had indicated which train they'd need to get on, and didn't notice Peter flinch.

“What the message boards can't figure out is what makes you so special, but it's obvious now,” Wade continued.

“I-It is?”

“Duh! You're awesome.”

Peter rolled his eyes, crossing his arms tighter and stepping closer behind Wade to avoid bumping into people’s bags. Now that they were approaching the platform it was getting more crowded. If he kept his eyes on Wade's back, things were less visually stimulating.

“I'm sure there are plenty of awesome photographers in New York.”

Wade waved the comment away. “Still doesn't tell me how ya met him.”

Peter tried to think of something normal and not dangerous his civilian self could have been doing. “We met in Tony Stark’s lab.”

Not quite what he had been fishing for. ‘Mexican restaurant,’ would have been believable, right?

Wade turned suddenly and Peter almost bumped into Wade’s chest. Peter managed to stop in time, _thank you, enhanced reflexes_ , but Wade’s hands had already come up to stop him, settling on Peter’s shoulders.

“You know Iron Man, too?!”

Peter cringed at the sound. His hands fluttered between them before he pulled them to his chest.

“Shit, sorry--” Wade took a step back, removing his hands.

And Peter immediately took two steps forward, avoiding a minor collision with a tourist who must have just flown in and had too many bags for social decency, almost curling into Wade.

If Wade noticed that Peter hadn't looked back and had no way of knowing how close the tourist’s bag was, he made no comment.

“Sorry,” Peter said after a moment, starting at his hand on Wade's chest, the other held up to his own. “Ah, just--”

“It's crowded in here.”

Peter glanced over his shoulder, preparing to agree, but then Wade placed an arm around his waist and all words left him.

He squeaked when Wade tugged him closer so that someone could slip between Peter and the tourist. They still managed to brush Peter's back.

There was a moment of white noise in his ears and the overhead lights finally went from nearly overwhelming to actually unbearable.

With his arms already squeezed between Wade's chest and his own, it was the most natural thing in the world to close his eyes and press his forehead into Wade's chest, possibly a bit too hard for human strength.

The surprise of the movement might have been a trigger, he would reason much later, but that didn't mean that he didn't find Wade's proximity comforting. In the moment he just hopped that Wade wouldn't let go and that Peter could get his breathing under control before the next train got here.

Wade wrapped his other arm around Peter and squeezed harder. Peter had a fleeting thought that Wade was perfect before he went back to counting his breaths.

It didn't take long for Peter's shoulders to relax, and for him to start making out individual sounds again. Really it barely even counted as a shutdown in his book. But he kept his eyes closed, and didn't move back.

Wade was talking to the boxes about if they'd broken him or if it wasn't Wade's fault.

Peter could hear the train approaching, but no one else could, he was sure.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Wade was silent for a moment before he whispered, “You're welcome,” even more quietly.

Wade seemed to try, and fail, to keep from fidgeting before he continued. “Let's get a taxi.”

Peter tensed. “I can't--”

“I'd be gettin’ a taxi back without ya anyway, so my treat.”

“I really--”

The train pulled up, but Wade was already moving them towards the way they'd come in.

His grip on Peter's arm was loose enough for a human to escape with ease and far too light for Peter's senses so he was forced to slip out of Wade's grasp, but he followed him back to the surface with a finger in a belt loop. It was better than the subway, at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's, everyone (barely XD)!!
> 
> I hope that you enjoy the chapter~ I've been on a subway twice so I sorta glazed over that, but hopefully everyone stayed enough in character. Wade made me nervous to write since Peter and I have much more in common neurodevelopmentally, but I really felt like we needed Wade's POV for just a bit of insight into what he's doing.
> 
> Please let me know what you thought~ :)


	5. In the Daylight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You could talk to someone for hours and never even know his name, share your deepest secrets and then never see them again.  
> \--Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
> 
> Or you could wind up keeping them forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At one point Wade thinks of Peter as someone in want of "taking care of" which I tried to portray thoughtfully, but might come across as infantilizing to others. I hope I got the tone right~

The taxi ride was surprisingly calm after Peter thanked Wade and got over how uncomfortable shutting down in public made him. It was easy to get over while listening to Wade ramble on about ice cream and then dessert in general and then food in general and then how big New York was. And then Peter lost the plot, leaning heavily against his hand to keep his head from the window, not comfortable enough in a moving vehicle to fall asleep.

Though he imagined if he leaned the _other_ way, he wouldn't have a problem.

He let his head hit the window.

God, he was too tired to be in a closed space with Wade. It was much harder to remember why Peter kept his distance when they were this close, and Wade’s voice was-- actually, Wade must have stopped talking when Peter hit the window.

Peter sat up quickly enough to get a slight head rush and made sure he hadn't broken the window.

“I know I talk too much,” Wade said, “and most people jus’ tell me to shut up, but you might be too kind or scared or something, so I'll tell you now that--”

“I like your voice.”

Peter hadn't spoken since he’d muttered thanks to Wade twenty blocks ago.

Wade was silent for a long moment.

“It's nice,” Peter continued, leaning his head against the window again. Gently. “And it's nice not having to reply all the time.”

“Oh.”

Peter hummed, and after a moment reached back to nudge Wade.

“Oh, right!” and Wade began to ramble again.  
\---

  
\---  
Peter was perfect and so delicate.

Wade really should leave him alone. Let him live his normal life. ( ~~ _How normal could it be if he met Spidey while hanging with Stark?_~~ )

He was cute, and small, and clearly could use some taking care of if his blasè attitude about the creeper or the subway incident itself were anything to go by.

( **And he lived in New York. How had he thought that was a good idea?** )

( _Would he have been overwhelmed had we not grabbed him, though?_ )

Wade knew that he wouldn't be able to leave Peter alone unless Peter explicitly asked for it.

And Peter had very pointedly shot down every chance Wade gave him to tell Wade to get lost. He'd even _requested_ that Wade continue to rant.

After the Taxi had pulled up to an apartment building that was between Wade's apartment and the supermarket they'd met in, Wade had asked if Peter wanted his number, and Peter had floundered a bit.

Wade's heart had dropped, and he went to say that it was fine, Peter didn't have to, when he found a pen under his downturned face.

“What?”

Peter smiled up at him, handing him a very small spiral bound notebook likely missing lots of pages, open to a blank page. “My phone's dead, but I'll text you when I get upstairs.”

( ~~ _Why not give us yours, then? He’s not going to text you, ever._~~ ) Wade and Bold were getting very good at ignoring Italic’s logic when it came to acting on blind faith, so Wade wrote his number down and was not so surprised that he got hit by a car on his way home when his phone lit up.

Okay, maybe he was, but he barely even broke his hip bone, and his phone was fine, so it didn't matter.

By the time Wade got to the text, another two had come in.

> Hey :) I hope you get home safe.  
>  Recieved 12:32
> 
> It's Peter, btw  
>  Goodnight.  
>  Received 12:35 am

Wade saved the contact, still standing in the middle of the road as he waited for his leg to heal and people honked all around him. The person who had hit him had wisely continued about their night when Wade pulled a gun and told them to carry on.

> Heeeeyyyyy gorgeous! Sleep tight ;-*  
>  Sent 12:37  
>  Read 12:41
> 
> You too.  
>  Received 12:42

So Wade was excited, to say the least. He may have just made his second real friend in New York.  
\---

  
\---  
Peter was thankful that Wade didn't just ask for his number when Peter said that his phone was dead, since Peter had to rush upstairs and get a texting app with a new number.

Wade already had his real phone number. In case of _emergencies only_ , of course, and he had been surprisingly respectful in not abusing that privilege.

Peter slept in the next day and woke up to a, “Good morning, beautiful!!! I hope you had wonderful dreams (about me) ;)” text.

Which he couldn't bring himself to reply to until _after_ breakfast.

He had been so flustered last night and Wade had been so _sweet_ , which wasn't exactly new but Spider-Man and Deadpool had boundaries set when Peter first met him--they had gotten closer with time, of course, but nothing like hugging in a Subway close from Deadpool's perspective. Deadpool's respect for boundaries set by a Spiderman that wasn't in love with him was very chivalrous. He doesn't test them often, and he always seems surprised when Spider-Man let's him closer.

Peter wasn't sure if this counted as taking advantage of the situation.

Wade was flirting with someone he had just met.

Peter would have never been so comfortable had they just met. (Wasn't so comfortable when they first met.) (Wasn't so comfortable now.)

This felt so different from lying to people that knew Peter first rather than Spider-Man. Spiderman was supposed to have big secrets, supposed to know more than he said. Peter wasn't supposed to know any of the things he knew about Wade, about who Wade really was as a person.

Or maybe it felt different because Peter was in love with him.

Wade had looked so sad last night on the sidewalk below Peter’s apartment, and Peter _knew_ that he was imagining awful things about how Peter had been pretending to like him all evening. Peter couldn't let the man he loved feel that way.

So Peter sat down with his second bowl of cereal and his cell phone, took a deep breath and replied.

> Hey, DP :) I slept way too deep to remember any dreams XD I hope you slept well  
>  Sent 12:43  
>  Read 12:44

Spider-Man called Wade “Pool” when they texted, so Peter decided on “DP” for his civilian self, figuring that Deadpool and Spider-Man didn't text often enough for Wade to recognize Peter's typing style as anything unique.

The little speech bubble popped up immediately.

Peter felt like his soul was vibrating.

> So we haven't ruled out the possibility that you were dreaming about me ;-*  
>  Recieved 12:45

_It wouldn't have been the first time._

Peter couldn't say that. They had just met.

And Peter wasn’t sure what he wanted here anyway.

There were still all of the issues that were there when he was Spider-Man. Deadpool only liked either side of Peter because almost everyone else was mean to him, and most of those that weren't certainly weren't kind. 

> We should have dinner tomorrow
> 
> Only if you wanna, of course  
>  Received 12:51

He was flirting with Peter because Peter had been receptive. Peter certainly couldn't reciprocate. That road can only lead to heartbreak on both sides.

But they could be friends. Like real friends.

Peter might not be able to let himself love Wade in the way that he wants to ( _really_ wants to), but he can let himself love Wade in a way he couldn't as Spider-Man.

> Let's make it lunch?  
>  Sent 12:57  
>  Read 12:57

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :)
> 
> I don't plan for there to be lots of texting, but I thought it was important to show at least the start of things~
> 
> Please feel free to comment on any parts you have strong feelings about~ :)


	6. Happy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the secrets of the world worth knowing are hiding in plain sight.  
> Robin Sloan, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, #1)

For lunch the next day, Peter very specifically did not freak out. He grabbed the clothes he remembered wearing the last time he had lunch with MJ, and didn’t spend more than thirty seconds looking in the mirror to fix his hair. He was ready to leave half an hour early, but couldn’t stomach the idea of sitting on his couch so he walked out of his apartment building intending to get to the diner early and wait, but he found Wade—in Deadpool suit sans katanas but still with his pistols, and a hoodie on top of it all—already there and couldn’t help but laughing.

“He’s early!” Wade narrated.

Peter sat down. “So are you.”

There were very few people in the diner and Wade had procured a booth in the back corner. When Wade rolled up his mask to eat, Wade was as surprised at Peter’s lack of reaction to Wade’s scars as he had been at Spider-Man’s.

Since Peter _hadn’t_ been freaking out, it wasn’t a relief when conversation flowed easily.

Before Peter knew it, they were arguing over the bill.

“This isn’t a date,” Peter said.

Wade paused, but his grip didn’t lessen. “Doesn’t have to be a date for me to treat ya, Pete.”

Peter glared for a moment before dropping his hand. Let the Merc spend his blood money. Spider-Man and Deadpool had had that argument a few too many times, and Peter didn’t want to fight him like this if he could help it. Not over the small things.

Peter rolled his eyes and bought them ice cream later.

A few days later, they went to the arcade (which was a _good_ loud unlike New York subways, but it was still nice to have Wade; people tend to give the Merc a wide berth.). A few days after that, a museum with a photography display featuring lesser known architecture in New York.

Eventually, Peter stopped keeping track.

Being friends (best friends) with Wade was much better (and worse) than the occasional team up and 3 AM taco run.

Peter was constantly reminding himself why this was what he really wanted with Wade.

(It was just so hard to do when he fell asleep during the third Star Wars movie of the day and woke up _stuck_ to Wade even though he hadn't woken up stuck to anything in years. Luckily, Wade hadn't seemed to notice as Peter peeled his hand and cheek from the thigh of Wade's sweatpants just as the movie ended.)

But really, he was happy. (Possibly happier than he'd been since before Gwen died three years ago, and he hadn't been that _happy_ in all the time he'd been Spider-Man.)

That wasn't even just something he told himself.

 

  
It was something Aunt May noticed.

“You should invite them over for dinner,” she said.

Peter choked and spluttered but managed to swallow and then stutter, “Who?”

“Whoever's got you so smiley, sweetheart.”

Peter couldn't help but smile again, but bit his lip and slipped further down in his chair. “That might not be a good idea.”

Thankfully, she dropped it after minimally more prodding and Peter explaining that they’d only just met, but Peter knew she'd be bringing it back up if he didn't get himself under control.

 

  
It was also something that MJ noticed.

“I think I should be mad at you, Pete.”

“What? Why?”

She bumped his shoulder with hers. “I'm just playing. But seriously, why are you so happy lately? I'm only going to buy that you're “just having a good day””--compete with air quotes-- “so many times in a row.”

Peter shrugged and twirled the straw in his drink. “Can't I be happy?”

“Of course you can be happy,” she emphasized, “but I know you, Peter, this isn't regular happy. You're in love.”

Peter rolled his eyes, but blushed hard. “If you've already decided on an answer, what's the point in--”

“Don't give me that word play,” MJ pointed at him. “If you really don't want to tell me, I'll stop asking.”

He took a drink. What could he even say? “I don't want to tell you.”

MJ frowned, but moved on with the conversation.

Eventually, Peter broke. “You were right.”

MJ looked over at him. They'd left the restaurant and were walking, arms linked, through an alley to her apartment since it was daylight and she lived close.

“I usually am,” she said, grinning.

“I've been seeing someone. Kinda.”

Her grin widened, but then faltered. “Kinda?”

“Well, we've been spending a lot of time together. But we're not dating.”

“And why not?”

Peter frowned. This was why he hadn't wanted to explain his relationship with Wade to anyone else. How could he explain that all he could ask for was friendship despite the fact that he knew Wade would be receptive to his advances? It hadn't even gone over well with Tony and Tony disliked the Merc both professionally and personally.

“I don't think that it would actually work out well.”

“Okay, but why?”

“He's just so… And I'm not even…”

Peter’s free hand fluttered, he tugged his hair.

MJ pulled them to a stop and squeezed his arm, waiting.

Eventually Peter sighed, running a hand down his face. “He's very… Exuberant. And he flirts with everyone who'll let him. There's no way for me to know what he really wants.” That was close enough to the truth for hand grenades.

“Does he know that you're autistic?”

“It's kinda hard to miss,” Peter flapped for emphasis. “We haven't said that word. Though, he's seen that neurodiversity shirt you got me and I'm sure he knows what it means… and he's…”

“Maybe you'd feel more comfortable asking him how he feels if you do say it?”

They started walking again, while Peter thought of how to respond.

“It's not about being afraid to ask him how he feels about me. I know he cares, and I think he'd say yes if I asked him out--” knows it for a fact, actually, that Peter could also just stop suggesting other things when Wade asks him to dinner approximately once a week-- “but I don't know if he'd say yes for the right reasons.”

“What _are_ the right reasons? Better yet, what are the _wrong_ reasons? If he wants to go out with you and you want to go out with him, I'm not seeing the problem.”

“I don't know that I can explain it.”

They slowed to a stop outside of her apartment building, Peter reluctant to spend too much more time out since he planned to patrol later.

“Okay, Pete, you don’t have to tell me. You're always so private, and guarded.” She put her hands on his shoulders, squeezing. “You always put others first. I think you should just do what makes you happy for once. Weather it lasts forever or just a day, the same could be true of your friendship, right?”

Peter scuffed the ground with the toe of his shoe before grabbing one of her wrists and squeezing back. “Maybe you're right.” It was a nice thought: doing what made him happy now. He just didn’t think it would be worth it in the long run, and no matter what she said that was still important to him. He smirked at her. “Are you sure we're the same age?” She was wiser than him, and he knew it, but he doubted that he would actually listen to her advice.

She rolled her eyes and turned to walked inside, tossing a, “Love you, Pete,” over her shoulder before she disappeared.

“Love you, too.”

 

  
Tony didn’t notice anything until Wade dropped by the lab while Peter was working.

Wade had been upstairs doing something Avengers and SHIELD adjacent and texted Peter to see if he was available (Wade had eventually gotten it out of Peter that he was in Tony’s lab when he ‘met Spider-Man’ because he worked in the building.)

“So you, _Peter_ , are _friends_ with Deadpool?” Tony asked, walking into the room ahead of the Merc.

“Is that so hard to believe?” Peter glanced up from where he was packing his messenger bag.

Tony have him a _look_ that Peter took to mean that it absolutely was. “I don't know how you do it, kid, but you always manage to amaze me.”

Peter rolled his eyes. He knew exactly what Tony was talking about, but Wade didn’t, and Peter didn’t like how it sounded without the context of Peter’s secrets. “Wade’s great, Tony. Drop it.”

Tony made another face, but shrugged and went deeper into the lab.

 

It was only a matter of time before Wade noticed, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe painting myself into a corner with that last sentence will help me write the next chapter XD
> 
> Sorry this one took so long. I wasn't sure that I was happy with the pacing of this one, but I couldn't find a way I liked to slow it down any. What do you think?
> 
> Thank you for talking the time to read this! :)

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love any constructive criticism, or comments on parts you had strong thoughts about!


End file.
